I love a bargain, or trying to create something out of nothing (something I picked up from my thrifty mother).
I have my chickens and my kitchen garden, both of these provide produce for my love of cooking.
Basically, if you can sew it, make, grow it or cook it you have come to the right place.
Follow me on my sewing/growing/cooking and making adventures together with some of life’s daily trials and tribulations.

About Me

Sunday, 30 January 2011

Vogue Woman - 8435 and Vogue 1194 and a visit to my favourite market.

Gosh I have had busy week this week. Following the shock figures on the tape measure a couple of weeks ago I have been very good and working out in the gym. I have got my running up to 1.5 miles before I have to stop to replenish my oxygen supplies - so slowly but surely building it up. I had managed to get my running up to 6 miles in one go, so I need to work towards that. My aim is 3-4 times a week.

So as mentioned in a previous blog I had cut out Vogue 1194 red dress and I finished this in time to wear on Friday night for a work dinner. I was pleased with the result.

The fabric was really cheap only £1 a metre and I had bought 5 metres of it - not really knowing what I was going to make. I tend to sew in batches, so if I have my serger/overlocker threaded with red, then I try to continue using the same colour so I don't have to mess around changing colours.

What would I do differently about this dress. Not too much - the elastic that is threaded through the front band is a little strange to work with, but I wore the dress and felt really comfortable in it - on what was a cold winter night in London.

So this weekend it was my Niece’s little girl Amelia’s christening. I had purchased Vogue 8435 last year and never got around to making it, and I thought I may as well use up the rest of the red fabric.

Here is the end result. I had cut out the set in the larger size, and wish I had actually cut it out in a size smaller - but on the whole I was pleased with the result and again very comfortable to wear.

I changed the neckline on the t-shirt by following the method in Lynda Maynard's The Dressmaker's Handbook of Couture Sewing Techniques. The pattern instruction was to just turn in 5/8" on the neck edge and stitch - I cut a bias strip of fabric around 1 1/2" wide, folded it in half. I cut some fusible interfacing to the shape of the neckline around 3/8” wide – stay- stitched the neckline, fused the interfacing around the neck edge and then attached the bias strip on the right side, turned to the inside and top-stitched. I have never done this before and will certainly use the method again.

One other change I made was to make a couple of shoulder pads out of wadding, and covered it in the fashion fabric to give a little definition to the shoulders.

The skirt was made out of some stretch velvet purchased for the extortionate sum of £2. With a little manipulating, I think I have enough left over to make the t-shirt (with a back seam this time as I don't have enough fabric to cut back and front on the fold. I can then wear with the skirt and red jacket to ring the changes.

I calculated that the 5 metres of red fabric cost me £5 and the velvet cost me £2. Notions for all the outfits were only thread and elastic £1.00 - so I think a dress, skirt, two t-shirts and a jacket for £8.00 and the cost of my time has to be a bargain in anyone's book.

Saturday I was a happy bunny - I persuaded Mike to take me to the Market to purchase some more fabric and thread. Yes I have loads of fabric, at only £1 or £2 a metre it is such good value for money you just can't go wrong.So that I didn't get carried away I took £50 with me and that was it. I couldn't spend a penny over £50. For my money I bought 3 x 4 metres of crepe suiting material in dark grey, teal, and a sort of stone/sand colour. Some lovely white stretch lace; some mock suede (to try out my biker jacket before I cut into my real suede, two lots of fabrics for blouses plus some interfacing and some lovely soft pink fabric to make the baby something in due course. That all came to £35 so I had £15 to buy some more overlocker thread. The Market (Walthamstow) is great it only costs me £1 a reel so I bought 4 each of red, black and white, some underwear elastic - total cost £15.00. The stallholder was really kind and said seeing as I had spent £15 I could pick up some more bundles of elastic. I said I needed some more zips so he walked around to the front of the stall and gave me 6 zips for free. This made my day and Mike was very good and waited in the car for me while I spent around 30 minutes doing my speed shopping. I LOVE THAT MARKET.

Last but not least, here a photograph of my beautiful granddaughter who was oh so interested in my necklace. she is now 6 3/4 months old and a real delight.

Fabulous dress, and the colour is spectacular. That pattern is a total winner. And the jacket is pretty fab too - I've often looked at that pattern and wondered what it would look like. I do the same as you of sewing things in batches so you don't have to change the overlocker thread.